Means for feeding molen glass



Dec. 1924 1,520,229

E. "r. FERNG REN MEANS FOR FEEDING MOLTEN GLASS Filed Oct. 1'7, 1921 ZSheets-Sheet 1 E. T. FERNGREN MEANS FOR FEEDING MOLTEN GLASS Filed Oct. 1'7, 1921. 2 Sheets-Sheec 2 HQVENTOR Paienleol flee. 23, lhmd,

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0316, All. GQPQQEATION OF OHIO.

FX'UEANS FDR FEE-illhlfir MDLTLEH GLASE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known the: l, T, FERNGREN, a citizen of the U; iii-steer, residing at Toledo, in the eounry Lucas and Shots of Ohio, have invented new and useful line rovements in Means for Feeding Molten Ellass, of which the following is a specification. 1

My invention relates to apparatus for forming and delivering individual unit charges or gobs of glass from a supply of "molten glass. The invention is herein shown as embodied in an epparelsus comprising a discharge chamber to which the molten glass is continuously supplied from a melfizing tanlc The glass is permitted to flow from an outlet orifice in the hollom of the dis charge chamber, issuing glass is' suspended from the wells of lhe outlet and is periodically severed to form individual masses or gobs.

An object of the invention is to provide suitable means to riodically vary 'the depth-or head of glo, 1 within the discharge chamber and thereby ijllllfil the discharge.

The glass is permitted lo issue under a coinparatively hi h head of glass within the discharge chandler to .i'orm n suspended gob. The head of glass is then reduced, thereby reducing, the pressure acting to expel ehe glass, and the suspended gob is severed at a point a short distance below the outlet. -Whcn the head of glass is again increased "after a suitable time intcr'al, a comparatively rapid flowor extrusion is again established, owingr to lhe increased expelling force due to said head. The depth or head of glass within the discharge chamber is controlled by incans of a gate or valve which i is periodically projected through the glass to restrict the downward movement of the in said chamber, said gale scrving to support the glass above it and thus reduce the, head or pressure acting lo expel the glass therehcneath.

Other features of the invenli'on will ul'r pear hereinafter.

in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of an ratus.

y 11, the outer end of charge chamber 12 having" an outlet 0 ening 'nliiostion filed Qeto'ccr 1?, RS582. filcrlsl No. 598,285.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan, the section being taken at the line 2-44 on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary seotionizl elevation showing a modified for i of discharge chamber.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the appa- Figure ole aside elevation, Figure 6 is a plan view of the apparatus,

Figure 7 shows evolve and its actuating cam for conlrolling the air motor,

Molten glass 10 is continuously supplied from a melting tank to a boot or extension which forms a 'discutting 18 in [the hortom thereof through which the glass issues. A block 141 projecting upward above the lioorof ihe boot forms the inner "wall of the discharge chamber and sepanotes the main body of glass Within the boot from that within the discharge chemlier. The Well or chamber 12 may be considorably narrower than the boot or channel in rear of the wall 14 so that said well is of coin' iarai'ively sigiall capacity. The flow of glass over the wall or dam 14: is restricted and controlled by a gate valve 15 which may be adjusted up and down by any suitable mechanism as, for example, the cable regulale the rate of flow. A block 16 behind the gate 15 cxlcnds downward into the boot and bridges the space lietwoeu the vertical walls of the boot and forms a damper to control the passage of air or gases or com-- busti'on. The damper 1G is likewise adjustable up and down.

A controllingdevice 17, lie1'eiusli0\vn as a gate valve, projects through an opening 9, screw rod 8 and hand wheel 7, to

19 slidably mounted on a frame 21. The valve is reciprocatcd by an air motor 22, the piston rod 23 of which is connected through a link .24 to a lever 25 fulcrumed on the frame 21, said lever at its opposite end being connected through a link to the head 19. The supply of air to the motor 22 is controlled by a reversing valve 26 (Fig. 7) of any usual or approvedconstruction. As shown, the pressure pipe 27 is open through the valve 26 to the pipe 28 leading to one end of the piston motor. A pipe 29 extending from the other end of the motor is open through the valve to the atmosphere.- By reversing the valve, the pipes 29 and 28 are respectively connected to the pressure pipe 27 and the atmosphere, thereby reversing the mo.or. cam 30 on a continuously rotating vertical drive shaft 32 and a compression spring 31 in the valve housing. A burner 33 may be provided at the forward end of the boot to maintain and control the temperature of the glass therein.

The cutting mechanism comprises a pair of shear blades 34 .pivotally mounted at 35 on a sup xu-ting bracket 36. The shears may be actuated by any suitablecain 37 fixed to the drive shaft 32 and operating through a lever 38 having a fulcrum 3,). The lever reciprocates a slide 41 which is connected through links 42 to the shear blades. The shears are operated once during each complete rotation of the drive shaft. The valve 17 is also reciprocated once during each 'rotation of the drive shaft. The operationof theshears and valve 17 are synchronized to operate in the timed relation required to produce the results hereinafter pointed out.

In operation, when the valve 17 is with drawn a descending head of glass is provided, extending from the top of the wall 14. to the outlet orifice. This head has the advantage of having besides its weight, a

fallin or dro )in motion as it a- )roaches the outlet 13. (onsulera-ble pressure is,

therefore, applied to the issuing glasswlnch is, therefore, rapidly expelled and tori-us a.

gob 43 suspended from the. .walls of the orifice. \Vhen the valve 17 is projected inwardly, it. restricts the downward flow of glass so that the head of glass above the orifice is greatly reduced. The shears now operate to sever the suspended gob, and the further flow of glass through the oritice is retarded or suspended until the valve 17 is withdrawn to again increase the. head. The valve 17 is preferably arranged to restrict but not entirely cut off the flow of glass, as by leaving a restricted passageway between said valve and the wall 14, the pressure head of glass is more quickly establishedafter the valve is withdrawn, than it would beif the flow were entirely cut off.

in the modification shown in l igure 3,

The valve 26 is actuated by .1.

the wall 14 is cut away at 15 sothat aspace is maintained between said wall and the descending glass. There. may thus be provided an unconfined and freely descending column or stream between the valve 17 and the out-- let which as a body is out of contact with the chamber walls. This facilitates the rapid establishing, of a more dynamic pres sure head of glasswhen the valve is with drawn. As is indicated by the spacing and relation of parts in Figure the pressure head of the glass,"as it is released, will practically project itself throi-lgh the orifice 13. The resultant descending formation'or gob ofglass that extrudes from the outlet will be of a larger and a more uniform cross section than the one shown in Figure 1. The. severance'ot' this kind of a gob by the shear blades 34 willpro'duce, (particularly if the cut occurs as the extruded glass is being tensioncd at the suspension point by the pull of its weight and inertia), a temporary suspension inextruding action from the outlet 13 as the pressure head is then at its lowest. ebb, or emptied out so to speak, which en ables the forces of resistance of the glass such as its viscosity, adhesiveness to walls of outlet, elasticity, et cetea, to, react and establish in some instances, even a retraet'ive action at the outlet.

llloditications maybe resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

1. In apparatus for producing charges of molten glass, the combination of a well or chamber having an outlet'opening in the bottom thereof, means to flow a continuous stream of glass into said well, and means operating within the well'at a point between. said outlet and, the point at which the glass enters the vwell to periodically obstruct the flow to said outlet.

2. In apparatus for producing char es of molten glass,"the combination of .a disc Large chamlwr or well having an outlet opening in the bottom thereof, means to admit a continuous supply of glass to the well at a point above said outlet, and an obstructing device periodically interposed between. said point of supply and said outlet.

3; ln apparatus for producing charges of molten glass, the-combination rOf a discharge chamber or well having an outlet opening; in the bottom thcreot, means to admits continuous supply of glass to the wellat! point above said outlet, a valve, and means to periodically project it across the path of the glass between said outletand said point of supply.

4. The method which consists in continu- 'ously supplying molten glass to a discharge tea face of the glass therein and thereby reducchamber at an intermediate point into posiing the pressure head. tion to restrict but not entirely cut off the 10 5. T he method which consists in causing increment of the glass.

a gravity flow of glass from an outlet in the Signed at Toledo. in the county of Lucas 5 bottom of a discharge chamber, continuand State of Ohio, this 13th day of October,

ously supplying :1 flow of glass into Stlid 1921. chamber at the upper end thereof, undperh odicnlly projecting an obstruction into said EJOCH T. FERNGREN. 

